Home
Weather London
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
Career
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    On this day in 2020... Storm Dennis arrives in the UK

09:00
15 February 2023

On this day in 2020...
Storm Dennis arrives in the UK

Large waves
Large crashing waves at the harbour of Porthcawl, Wales preceded the arrival of Storm Dennis in 2020. - © picture alliance

On this day in 2020, Storm Dennis impacted the UK and Ireland, becoming one of the most damaging in years building upon the destruction from Storm Ciara.

Amid the two days the storm lasted over land, Dennis delivered heavy rains and strong winds resulting in flooding across the entirety of the UK.

At the River Taff and Rhondda catchments in Wales, more than 160 millimetres of rain was recorded in a day, greater than their monthly rainfall average.

A separate station in Aberdaron also recorded wind gusts as strong as 91 miles per hour while 50 miles per hour gusts were also recorded in Kent.

Major incidents were declared across England while south Wales experienced devastating flooding. At Dennis' peak 152 flood warnings were in effect across Wales, the highest number ever in force at one time.

River levels also rose to record highs with the River Taff at Pontypridd reaching its highest level for over 40 years, 80 cm higher than the historic flooding of 1979.

In total seven lives were known to have been lost as a result of Storm Dennis, with five in the UK.

Ireland largely avoided widespread damage from flooding, instead experiencing fierce gale-force winds leading to widespread power outages.

Dennis was named on February 11, 2020, while still situated over southern America. As the storm moved over the Atlantic it experienced explosive intensification becoming one of the most intense extratropical cyclones on record.

By February 17, Dennis had moved on from the UK and impacted Europe before dissipating a day later.

Ryan Hathaway
More on the topic
Trapped beneath a blanket of hot air. Heat dome. . . Monday, 22 June 2026
Split graphic showing a heat dome illustration over Europe on the left with a high-pressure system trapping hot air, and an extreme temperature map on the right displaying widespread 40–41°C heat across France and Spain with a large thermometer icon.
Monday, 22 June 2026

Heat dome

Trapped beneath a blanket of hot air
New record June temperature in the UK. Likely to be broken again. . . Thursday, 25 June 2026
Heat map of southern England on 24.06 showing extreme temperatures across Hampshire, with Gosport highlighted at 36.1°C and nearby Portsmouth around 35°C amid deep red heat zones.
Thursday, 25 June 2026

Likely to be broken again

New record June temperature in the UK
A varied week of heat and rain. Your weather - Your shots. . . Sunday, 21 June 2026
Split image showing a stone cottage glowing in warm sunset light beneath dark storm clouds on the left, and a lighthouse silhouetted against a a golden seaside sunset with reflections on calm water on the right.
Sunday, 21 June 2026

Your weather - Your shots

A varied week of heat and rain
All weather news
This might also interest you
Seasonal warmth between spring thunder. Your weather - Your shots. . . Sunday, 19 April 2026
Split image showing coastal sunset with layered lenticular clouds over rooftops and palm trees on the left, and a green valley with river and hills under soft daylight on the right.
Sunday, 19 April 2026

Your weather - Your shots

Seasonal warmth between spring thunder
New records for England and Wales. Broken again tomorrow?. . . Thursday, 25 June 2026
Temperature map of southwest Britain on 25.06 showing extreme heat across southern Wales and southwest England, with Bute Park in Cardiff highlighted at 34.2°C and Yeovilton at 36.4°C amid widespread deep red heat zones.
Thursday, 25 June 2026

Broken again tomorrow?

New records for England and Wales
Turbulent weather in the Canary Islands. Storm and rain. . . Friday, 12 December 2025
Weather graphic showing rain and wind fields over the Canary Islands and a central warning symbol.
Friday, 12 December 2025

Storm and rain

Turbulent weather in the Canary Islands
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList